Chris Mack intends to bring assistants Luke Murray and Mike Pegues with him to Louisville

Jeff Greer updates the latest on the University of Louisville men's basketball coach hire.

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Louisville's Chris Mack said he the only way he'd leave is to retire or be fired as Louisville coach during his introduction at the KFC Yum! Center Wednesday afternoon, March 28, 2018.(Photo: Matt Stone, Courier Journal)Buy Photo

Chris Mack has yet to fill his coaching staff in the Louisville men’s basketball program, but Mack said Wednesday at his introductory press conference that he “fully intends” on bringing assistant coaches Luke Murray and Mike Pegues with him from Xavier.

Beyond that, Mack mentioned “things that have to be played out a little bit back at Xavier.” His three assistants at Xavier this past season were Murray, Pegues and associate head coach Travis Steele. Mack said Steele is a candidate to replace him as the head coach at Xavier.

“I think he would do an incredible job,” Mack said.

Pegues coached big men under Mack at Xavier for six seasons. Before that, he was an assistant coach at Delaware, where he also played and became the school’s all-time leading scorer (he is now second). He played for legendary high school head coach Morgan Wooten at DeMatha Catholic High School in Maryland.

Murray joined Mack at Xavier in 2015 and just finished his third season. He was an assistant for Dan Hurley at Rhode Island for two seasons, for Pat Skerry at Towson for two and for Hurley at Wagner for one. In 2009-10, he was a graduate assistant on Sean Miller’s first Arizona staff. Miller hired Mack at Xavier in 2004, and Mack followed him as head coach.

“I’m going to do them right, as will Vince (Tyra),” Mack said. “But ultimately, I have to be comfortable, just like any CEO would — and that’s what you are when you’re a head basketball coach in 2018 — be very comfortable with the people that represent me, that work with me, work with our players and represent you all.”